Page 98 of Getting Down to Business

“Liss? Do you have a condom in your bag?”

“I don’t have my bag.”

“Shit!”

“We don’t have a condom?”

“No. I used it and never put another one in here.” He rolled back over to her and stroked her face. “I’m sorry. I’m such an idiot.”

She kissed him again and he continued to stir, as if his dick wasn’t aware of the situation they were facing.

He pulled away, contemplating leaving her there to run to the gas station. How far was it? Six minutes there, six back. Twelve minutes away from her while she lay there alone on the dock, waiting.

“We are both safe, and I’m on the pill,” she told him with a loud swallow.

“Would you be okay with that?” he asked, trying to hide the desperate edge to his voice.

“I think so. What about you?”

He glanced down at his engorged state. “I sure don’t want to stay like this until tomorrow night when we get home.”

“I’m sure it would be fine. I mean, I’ve never missed a dose, and I take them every day at the same time like clockwork. I haven’t had any antibiotics in over a year. It’s 98.9 percent effective.”

“That basically means out of a million women, eleven thousand got knocked up.”

“There are certain situations in which math isn’t helpful,” she said with a frown.

“Right. Sorry about that.”

“Always honest,” she reminded him while looking up at the stars.

“Do you trust me, Liss? I’m not asking for a big emotional declaration, but do you trust that if you ended up being one of those eleven thousand women I would do the right thing?”

She nodded and looked away.

“Yes. I do trust you. I want this.” She turned to face him, connecting with him on some level deeper than sex. He hadn’t asked for an emotional declaration, but he felt one all the same. Something was shifting between them.

“I want this too.”

He’d never wanted anything more.

* * * *

Alyssa couldn’t remember ever wanting anything more.

It wasn’t just sex with Grayson, which she could have pretty much any time she wanted. It was having sex with Grayson at that moment, at that place.

She had seen the freedom when he threw those eggs. It seemed like the first step in his healing process. She could feel how much lighter he was now. She enjoyed being a part of it. If she couldn’t find a way to heal herself, at least she could be part of Grayson’s recovery.

His eyes were locked on hers as he pushed inside her; she couldn’t look away. She didn’t want to.

“Alyssa,” he said her name quieter than he normally did. She had to admit she liked hearing him say her name while they were joined. It was as if he was claiming her for that time.

“Gray,” she breathed, staring back at him.

He was everywhere. His body covered hers, his face filled her vision, his breath filled her lungs, his warmth filled her completely. As he moved, he seemed to fill every dark corner of her being with his light.

He normally told her how sexy she was when they were together. He didn’t do that this time. His words were different, more intense. He told her she was beautiful instead of sexy and said he never wanted the night to end.